Ryan Rickelton joins Hashim Amla in elite Test batting club

South Africa’s opening batter Ryan Rickelton etched his name in history with a monumental innings of 259 runs in the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands on Saturday.  

The 28-year-old batter showcased remarkable skill and patience during his 343-ball marathon, smashing 32 boundaries, including three sixes. His exceptional knock ended when he attempted a big hit over mid-on and was caught off Mir Hamza.  

Rickelton’s innings made him the first South African opener to score over 250 runs in a Test match on home soil and the second overall after former captain Graeme Smith. Notably, Smith achieved this milestone twice during South Africa’s 2003 tour of England.  

The left-hander also became only the eighth South African batter to surpass the 250-run mark in Test cricket. Among them, Hashim Amla remains the only Proteas player to achieve a triple century, with his unbeaten 311 against England in 2012.  

Rickelton’s double century is the first by a South African batter since Amla’s 201-run innings against England in Cape Town in 2016. His 259 now stands as the third-highest individual Test score for South Africa on home soil, trailing behind Gary Kirsten’s 275 and Graeme Pollock’s 274.  

Highest Individual Test Scores for South Africa:  

1. Hashim Amla 311 vs England, The Oval, 2012  
2. AB de Villiers 278* vs Pakistan, Abu Dhabi, 2010  
3. Graeme Smith 277 vs England, Birmingham, 2003  
4. Daryll Cullinan 275* vs New Zealand, Auckland, 1999  
5. Gary Kirsten 275 vs England, Durban, 1999  
6. Graeme Pollock 274 vs Australia, Durban, 1970  
7. Graeme Smith 259 vs England, Lord’s, 2003  
8. Ryan Rickelton 259 vs Pakistan, Cape Town, 2025  

Rickelton’s historic knock provided the hosts with a strong foundation in the ongoing Test series against Pakistan.